Mounted posse training

Carlos Chavez/Special to the Star Mounted posse members use their horses to push back a group of people during a recent training session. VCSD Mounted Enforcement Unit, Santa Monica PD Mounted Unit, and Oxnard PD Mounted Unit took part in crowd control training at Conejo Creek Equestrian Park.

Ventura County Star

Carlos Chavez/Special to the Star Mounted Enforcement Unit (MEU) members, with mounted posse members from through out Ventura County and Santa Monica Police Departments, use their horses to stop a simulated fight between VCSD Reserve/Mounted posse Jody Keller (left) and Oxnard Police Department MEU Larry Eklund (right) during a recent training session at Conejo Creek Equestrian Park.

Ventura County Star

Carlos Chavez/Special to the Star Jim Menzies (left) of Santa Monica Mounted Posse comforts the horse of VCSD Mounted Posse member Mark Hernandez after a training exercise using flags to spook the horses at Conejo Creek Equestrian Park.

Ventura County Star

Carlos Chavez/Special to the Star Ventura County Sheriff Department Deputy Jody Desjardins uses bubbles as an unfamiliar element to train horses that will patrol special events like the Ventura County Fair, Conejo Valley Days and 4th of July events.

Ventura County Star

Carlos Chavez/Special to the Star Posse members take a break for lunch during a recent training at Conejo Creek Equestrian Park.

Ventura County Star

Carlos Chavez/Special to the Star One of the many formations practiced during a recent training session of the mounted posse's for crowd control, and disbursement at Conejo Creek Equestrian Park.

Carlos Chavez/Special to the Star Oxnard PD Officer, Larry Eklund (left) is assisted by Ron Wechsler (right) of the Santa Monica Mounted Posse, before an exerise to introduce new objects to horses during a recent training at Conejo Creek Equestrian Park.

Carlos Chavez/Special to the Star Mounted posse members stand in formation designed to control a crowd during a recent training session. VCSD Mounted Enforcement Unit, Santa Monica PD Mounted Unit, Oxnard PD Mounted Unit and the mounted posse's from VCSD and SMPD took part in the day long training at Conejo Creek Equestrian Park.

Ventura County Star

Carlos Chavez/Special to the Star Ventura County Sheriffs Department Deputy Jody Desjardins holds her horse as suited Oxnard PD Officer, Larry Eklund touches it as part of a training exercise to help the horses deal with discomfortable around new objects, like the red suit. Mounted Posse along with local police department mounted units recently trained in crowd control at Conejo Creek Equestrian Park.

Ventura County Star

Carlos Chavez/Special to the Star Ventura County Sheriffs Department Mounted Enforcement Unit officer and instructor Deputy Srg. Roger De Wames gives an outline of the days exercises during a recent multiagency training day at Conejo Creek Equestrian Park.

Ventura County Star

Carlos Chavez/Special to the Star Mounted posse members from through out Ventura County and Santa Monica recently trained together to teach new members and their horses how to work with the group at Conejo Creek Equestrian Park.